Manicuring instrument



July 1, 1941. J. WENDELL 2,247,567

MANICURING INSTRUMENT Filed NOV. 17, 1939 RAYMOND J.!4/E-0E1.1

INVENTOR.

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I ATTORNE Patented July 1 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE MANICURIN G INSTRUMENT Raymond J. Wendell, Denver, 0010.

Application November 17, 1939, Serial No. 304,905

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in manicuring instruments and has reference more particularly to a combined nail file and cleaner.

Nail files and cleaners are instruments of common usage, but the majority of those on sale and in use are long flat files having pointed ends. Such a manicuring instrument may be very suitable for a beauty parlor, or manicuring establishment, but is highly unsuited for carrying in the pocket or in a handbag. Even where such nail files are provided with sheaths, their length makes them awkward to carry and to operate.

It is the object of this invention to produce a combined nail file and cleaner of a substantially circular shape in which the edges are provided with file cut surfaces so that even if the article is of comparatively small diameter, the file cut surface will have a considerable length.

Another object of this invention is to produce an instrument of the class preferred which shall be provided with guide means and depth limiting means to facilitate the use of the instrument and to prevent accidental injury.

The above and other objects that will become apparent as this description proceeds are attained by means of a construction and an arrangement of parts that will now be described in detail, and reference for this purpose will be had to the accompanying drawing in which the invention has been illustrated in its preferred form, and in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the improved manicuring instrument, showing the same to substantially full-size;

Figure 2 is a section taken on line 2 2, Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary section similar to that shown in Figure 2, but drawn to a somewhat larger scale;

Figure 4 is a section similar to that shown in Figure 3 and illustrates a slightly modified form;

Figure 5 is a section taken on line 55, Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a plan View of an elongated modified file showing the same provided with guide and gauge flanges;

Figure 7 is a section taken on line 1-1, Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary plan View to a somewhat larger scale than that employed in Figure 1, and with parts broken away to better disclose the construction;

Figure 9 is a View similar to that shown in Figure 8, but shows a slightly modified form;

Figure 10 is a section taken on line Iii-40, Figure 9; and

Figure 11 is a section taken on line ll-ll, Figure 9.

Referring now to the drawing, reference numeral l2 indicates a substantially circular steel disk of any suitable diameter, but which is preferably of slightly greater diameter than that shown in Figur 1. This disk has a thickness proportionate to its diameter of substantially that shown in Figure 2. The peripherial edge of disk I2 is provided with V-shaped grooves that extend between points a and b. This groove has been designated by reference numeral I 3 in Figure 5 and its sides are file cut as indicated by reference numeral l4. At points a and b the grooves terminate in smooth curves as shown in full lines in Figure 9 and indicated by dotted lines in Figures 1 and 8. At one side the disk is provided with an inwardly curved arcuate section l5, whose wall has a central fiat file cut surface which has been designated by reference numeral It in Figure 3 and this is provided along its tWo edges by flanges I! that vary in depth from the center towards the ends in the manner indicated by full and dotted lines in Figure 1. The sides and edges of flanges H are smooth and are intended to project into the space between the finger and the finger nail when the file is in use, and in this way they serve to guide the file during its operation and to limit the extent of its cutting. Due to the fact that the flanges are of difierent width, the depth to which the finger nail can be cut will be determined by the position that the depth limiting flanges have with respect to the finger and finger nail during the filing operation.

In Figure 4 a slightly modified form of the invention has been shown in which the flange I l is positioned along on side of the file cut surface, instead of along both sides as shown in Figure 3. The construction illustrated in Figure 4 is slightly easier to manufacture than that shown in Figure 3.

The arcs between points a and b. as before mentioned, are provided with V-grooves Whose sides are file cut as indicated by M and illustrated in Figure 5.

In Figure 8 the construction has been shown to a somewhat larger scale from which it can be seen that the file cut surface I 6 and the edges of the flanges I! are curved about centers C and Ca that are separated and positioned on a diameter that bisects the arc of the file surface. The radius from center C to the file surface has been indicated by R and the radius from center Ca to the edges of flanges I! has been designated by Ru and the latter radius is the larger. This construction results in flanges that decrease in depth towards the ends of the arc. In Figures 9, and 11, a slightly modified form of construction has been shown. In this construction flanges H are present, as above described, but the file surface lEa instead of being a part of the cylindrical surface, is a part of a warped surface and at the center of the arc the file surface is practically perpendicular to the plane of the file and inclines gradually from this perpendicular position to the highly inclined position near the ends of the arc. The file surface is warped equally on both sides of the center so as to be symmetrical with respect to the center line.

In Figure 10 a section has been shown taken on line Hl-l0, Figure 9, which shows the file surface lBa as practically perpendicular to the plane of the file and in Figure 11, which is taken on line Hll, Figure 9, the same surface is shown as inclined at a considerable angle. This warped surface permits the file to operate more conveniently under various conditions than it does if it is formed by a cylindrical surface throughout.

The file .is provided with a nail-cleaning tool which has been designated by reference numeral l8 and which consists of a thin strip of steel or other suitable metal which is provided with a central slot I9 for the reception of a rivet or screw by means of which the cleaning tool is secured to the body 12 of the file. The surface of the file member has a shallow groove 2| with parallel sides that extend inwardly from one end and terminate at point 22 and which may have a length considerably greater than. half the diameter of the file body 12. To facilitate the movement of the cleaning member, it is provided with an outwardly projecting portion 23 which can be engaged by the thumb for moving the cleaning tool in either direction. The cleaning tool is preferably bent slightly before it is put into position so as to produce the desired amount of frictional resistance during operation.

When the instrument is to be carried in the pocket or in a handbag the cleaning tool is retracted to the position shown in Figures 1 and 2 and when it is to be used, it is projected outwardly to the full extent of the slot I9.

For use in beauty parlors and manicuring establishments, the invention may be embodied in the form like that'shown in Figure '6 in which an ordinary steel file 24 having parallel edges is employed. In order toprovide the file with guides and depth gauges corresponding to flanges H, the fileis inserted into an attachment comprising a member having a flat portion 25, whose edges are bent upwardly at right angles so as to form flanges Ila. The inner surfaces of these if the steel contains the right amount of carbon,

it can be tempered so as to facilitate the operation of providing it with the file surface and the necessary machining after which it can be hardened so as to prolong the life and effectiveness of the file cut surfaces.

Particular attention is called to the presence of the guide flanges and to the fact that they serve to properly position the instrument with respect to the nail when in operation and serve also as depth limiting means that prevents the nail from being filed too close.

Attention is also called to the fact that the surfaces of the flanges as well as their edges are smooth so as to prevent irritation that might otherwise be caused by their use.

Having described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. A manicuring instrument comprising a flat metal disk having its periphery provided with a circular notch whose edge is file cut, the file cut surface being substantially perpendicular to the plane of the disk at the center of the notch and gradually increasingly inclined thereto to both sides of the center, and a flange extending outwardly along one side of the file cut edge, said flange having the surface adjacent the file cut edge and its outer edge smooth, the flange serving as a guide and depth limit gauge.

2. A manicure instrument comprising a sheet having its periphery provided with a circular notch whose edge is cut to form a nail file, and a flange projecting forwardly along an edge of said file cut surface, the sides and edges of the flange being smooth to provide a guide and depth gauge, said flange having a greater radius of curvature than the notch, whereby the height-0f the flange decreases outwardly from the center of the arc.

3. A manicuring instrument comprising a sheet having its periphery provided with a circular notch Whose edge is out along its entire length to form a nail file, and a flange along one of the two sides of the file cut edge.

4. A manicuring instrument comprising a sheet having its periphery provided with a substantially circular notch whose edge is out along its entire length to form a nail file, and a flange along one side of the file cut edge, the edge of the flange being curved on a different radius than the notch whereby the height of the flangevaries along the file cut surface.

RAYMOND J. 

